1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a device for interfacing between a transponder and a first transponder carrier so as to enable users thereof to manually transfer the transponder from the first transponder carrier to at least one secondary carrier. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transponder intermediary device and system for receiving and selectively retaining a vehicular toll transponder, which device is affixable in toll-paying position upon an inner windshield surface and enables sharing of a vehicular toll transponder between vehicles.
2. Description of Prior Art
Users of vehicle-mountable toll transponders are often desirous of obtaining a single toll transponder for use with multiple vehicles instead of having to obtain multiple toll transponders. The desire to utilize a single toll transponder for use in combination with multiple vehicles is underscored by the fact that many users of toll transponders have multiple vehicles. A driver, who has multiple vehicles to choose from for any given trip, may choose a single vehicle for any number of reasons. The chosen vehicle could benefit from the use of a toll transponder depending on the destination and the planned route. The toll transponder, however, may be separately located from the chosen vehicle, if, for example, a different vehicle was previously used to traverse certain toll ways. It would thus be helpful if certain means were provided to enable the user to easily transfer or share a single toll transponder with multiple vehicles by way of, for example, a number of intermediary transponder devices mountable in each of a number of vehicles. A number of pertinent prior art disclosures relating to vehicular accessory holding devices and the like, however, are known. Some of the more pertinent prior art disclosures relating to toll transponder holding devices and the like are briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,276 ('276 patent), which issued to Hernandez, discloses a Motor Vehicle Registration Card Holder. The '276 patent teaches a U-shaped holder made of light flexible material having grooves in the inside walls and bottom thereof forming a slot to receive an automobile registration card or plate. Affixed to one face of the holder is a layer of flexible material coated with pressure sensitive adhesive to facilitate securing the holder to the windshield of an automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,957 ('957 patent), which issued to Morris, discloses a Vehicle Business Card Dispenser. The '957 patent teaches a business card dispenser, mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle used by a business person, stores business cards or other promotional materials and is accessible to prospective customers located in the vicinity of the vehicle so as to permit the prospective customers to remove promotional materials from the business card dispenser. The business card dispenser preferably includes 1) a base mountable on the vehicle, e.g, by adhesive strips and 2) a card holder mounted on the base and receiving the promotional materials. The card holder is preferably removably mounted on the base to permit its removal, thus preventing theft or damage to the card holder. The card holder also incorporates measures to protect the cards from the elements. Indicia preferably are provided on the vehicle in the vicinity of the business card dispenser to draw prospective customers' attention to the business card dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,572 ('572 patent), which issued to DeVito, discloses a Toll Pass Holder. The '572 patent teaches a toll pass holder comprising a housing having an open top compartment with a large open front window so as to receive an electronic toll pass inserted therein. A structure such as a suction cup, functions to retain the housing to an interior surface of a windshield in a motor vehicle. The large open front window in the housing faces the interior surface of the windshield so that the electronic toll pass can operate therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,938 ('938 patent), which issued to Friedman, discloses an Adjustable Shield for Vehicle Mounted Toll Collection Identifier. The '938 patent teaches a holder for receiving and shielding an electronic vehicle identifying device conventionally used in conjunction with automatic toll collection. The holder includes a shielding portion which is manually actuated by the vehicle operator when it is desired to permit communication between the signal of the vehicle identifying transponder and an externally located interrogator which ascertains the presence of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,375 ('375 patent), which issued to Davis, discloses an Automobile Window Message Display Device. The '375 patent teaches a durable, lightweight, rigid, transparent envelope that is slightly curved in shape from top to bottom and attaches to automobile windows via suction cups in order to hold and display a variety of double-sided thin flexible lightweight message sheets, which are highly color-contrasted, light-reflective and contain large font character size messages in order to facilitate visual communication between automobile operators, passengers and pedestrians at distances normally encountered on streets and highways. A selected message can be displayed in the envelope through the envelope's transparent front side when it is attached to the inside of an automobile window, or a selected message can be displayed through the envelope's transparent back side while the envelope is attached to the outside of an automobile window by the same means. Indentations at the top of the envelope provide for quick and easy removal of message sheets by grasping them with the tip of a thumb and finger of the hand Small notches at the top of the envelope provide for the attachment of elastic bands in order to hold the message sheets in place inside the envelope when laying flat while not in use or being stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,775 ('775 patent), which issued to Lanzisero, discloses a Toll Pass Display Assembly and System. The '775 patent teaches a toll pass display assembly comprising a mounting plate, a suction cup and coupler. The mounting plate is fabricated of a relatively hard material and has a generally rectangular configuration. It has a front surface and a rear surface. There is a long top edge with a parallel bottom edge and two parallel side edges there between. There is next provided a suction cup which is fabricated of a flexible elastomeric material. The suction cup has an internal generally spherical concave surface and an external generally spherical convex surface with a round circumferential edge there between. Lastly, there is provided a suction cup coupler. The coupler is fabricated of the same type of flexible elastomeric material as the suction cup and formed integrally therewith. The coupler has a front section coupled to the mounting plate. A pair of hook and loop fastener strips are coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,063 ('063 patent), which issued to Tatta, discloses a Device and Method for Supporting an Electronic Toll Pass Assembly Against the Windshield of a Vehicle. The '063 patent teaches a mounting device and method for mounting an electronic toll payment pass to the interior of a vehicle's windshield. The device is comprised of a mounting structure having a face surface and a back surface. The face surface of the mounting structure is attached to the glass of the vehicle's windshield. The electronic toll payment pass is connected to the back surface of the mounting structure in a manner that allows the electronic toll payment pass to be easily installed and removed by the driver of the vehicle. When the electronic toll payment pass is attached to the mounting structure, the mounting structure is interposed between the glass of the windshield and the electronic toll payment pass. The mounting structure preferably contains a display image. The display image is visible through the glass of the windshield and obstructs the viewing of the electronic toll payment pass.
From an inspection of the foregoing disclosures and from a consideration of other art generally known to exist it will be seen that the prior art fails to teach a toll transponder intermediary device that functions to selectively alert the user via some form of sensory stimuli that a toll transponder has been locked in cooperative assemblage with a transponder intermediary device and which further functions to allow users to easily manually remove and transfer a toll transponder from the transponder intermediary or holding device to at least one secondary intermediary device. The prior art thus perceives a need for a toll transponder intermediary device that alerts the user via sensory-stimulating means that an inserted or received toll transponder has been locked in cooperative assemblage with a transponder intermediary device and which further functions to allow users to easily manually remove and transfer a toll transponder from the transponder intermediary or holding device to at least one secondary intermediary device.